The benefits of drying your own fruits, vegetables and meats are numer-
ous. You can make terrific fruit snacks for the family at home, or dry fruits
and vegetables for road trips or hiking excursions. Furthermore, you can
buy food in season, dry it and then eat it dry after it is no longer in sea-
son. You can also rehydrate and use the food later. Save money on
snacks and by purchasing food when it is in season! For example, buy
apricots and peaches in July, and enjoy them in October or November.
Make your own fruit rolls, croutons, baby food and dried herbs; the
practical uses of your Dehydrator are many!
Operation
Prepare your produce as soon after buying it as possible. Make certain to
use fully ripened (but not overripe) fruits and vegetables.
The amount of food being dried at one time should not exceed 3/4 of each
tray. Cheesecloth can be spread on the trays to keep food from falling
through and adhering to the tray.
Warning:
Foods must be properly dried to prevent germ growth
and spoilage! Dried vegetables should be hard and
brittle to the touch. Dried fruits should be pliable and
leathery.
Check your stored food every few weeks for any mold.
Once you have completed the drying process, cool the foods thoroughly
before packing. Food should be stored in clean, dry, airtight containers.
Step 1)
Wash the fruit, vegetables or meats thoroughly.
Step 2)
Remove any unwanted peels or pits from the produce.
Step 3)
Slice your chosen food into 1/4" pieces, keeping them all
roughly the same size.
Step 4)
Use from one (1) to five (5) trays as needed. Avoid
overlapping foods.
Step 5)
Make certain to open vents all the way (see explanation
in Vents section of this manual).
Step 6)
If using more than three (3) trays, rotate the trays at least
once for every 18 hours of drying.
#41420
Page 5